Merion 15. Ot misc rumblings

[Ed Brzezowski]

Just some brief notes.

Working 15 today and helped Mike Davis set the tee markers and adjust the matting. Asked him what his goal was on this tee shot . The reply was perfect" challenge them to carry the bunker". It's only 300 yards away so,lets see what they'll  do.   A very nice guy, even remembered to say thanks to all of us. 15 seconds of cool.

Spotted tee shots on the left and didn't see a ball within twenty yards of my spot,right side got a real workout however . A certain Tiger hit several drives short of the first bunker and unsheathed a hybrid for his approach shot. Then he placed several balls further up on the left side and played from there with a long iron .

A fair number of balls did land in the first and second bunker. Saw some great shots from there, including an Oriental player hit one to two feet. His personal photographer carried more stuff than I took to college.

Then the rains came, took 90 minutes for a usual 30 minute ride home.

Infrastructure as well done as Congressional and people moved freely on the last five holes.

All in all not too bad.

[Mac Plumart]

Very cool.

Any more insights would be appreciated.

[Powell Arms]

I was working the 16th tee all day today.  The caddies and players I spoke to were all surprised at how well the course had drained from Monday's rains.  I was surprised by the number of players that came to 16 tee and expressed surprise that it was a blind drive and had no idea of the line off of the tee. Those expressing surprise were a minority but it happened enough to be of note.  A majority struggled with the line, forcing them right and not straight off of the tee box which points directly at the green 430 yards away.


In talking with spectators, it is muddy getting around the trafficed areas of the course.  Supposedly there are 17,000 seats in bleachers and 25,000 tickets sold.  When I return outside the ropes, I will be planted in a well-located bleacher that allows views of multiple holes.

And take SEPTA - everyone that parked in Chester had to fight traffic to get there and then traffic in the shuttle to the course. http://septa.org/events/usga.html

[Bill Shotzbarger]

There is absolutely no room to miss it left of the 15th fairway. 3 feet of shallow rough max then pavement which is OB. The right side bunkers will be a popular spot for players who don't want to flirt with the OB and subconsciously bail out to the right.

[Howard Riefs]

Brad Klein captured the options and dangers in an article that profiles the hole:

The beauty of this hole is that it offers lots of options. Blast a drive over the bunkers, a carry of 295 yards uphill. Or play it safely with a 3-wood or utility club and give up distance for control. All of which presumes you can shape a shot left-to-right and not the other way around. If you hit it toward the road, it will roll that way, likely out of bounds.

Or you can just bail out completely with a long-iron sway to the left, in which case you’re faced with an uphill second shot of about 185 yards to a green designed for a lofted approach, not a low-trajectory one.

http://golfweek.com/news/2013/jun/11/us-open-2013-merion-15th-hole-double-cross/

[john_stiles]

185 yards up the hill shouldn't be a problem.   In fact it would seem to be not more than a 6 or 7 iron.

Regardless of the old arguments regarding pro's lofts for irons,  many will be to hit a very high lofted shot if only 185 yards uphill.

[mike_beene]

I did not realize until today that the fairway goes all the way to the OB as you move up the landing zone.Even playing a 3 wood seems to be dangerous .The brief time I stood there a ball flew over my head OB and the right bunkers got a workout. The wood barriers are shaved to ground level.Will they paint an OB line or just use the base of the wood?Other than 1 and 18 at StAndrews,is there anywhere else in major tournament golf where 6 inches off the fairway is OB?

[jeffwarne]

I did not realize until today that the fairway goes all the way to the OB as you move up the landing zone.Even playing a 3 wood seems to be dangerous .The brief time I stood there a ball flew over my head OB and the right bunkers got a workout. The wood barriers are shaved to ground level.Will they paint an OB line or just use the base of the wood?Other than 1 and 18 at StAndrews,is there anywhere else in major tournament golf where 6 inches off the fairway is OB?

Ok, I going to go all curmugeon again.
There are wooden pilings there that the members use the inside edge as out of bounds.
the USGA has decided they don't want the championship decided by luck so they cut the pilings off at the ground, and will replace them after the tournament.
Does that seem incredibly wasteful to anyone else?
and arbitrary? Meddling?
 What happens when 2 players hit drives 2 yards apart in the rough on the 18th hole and one draws a good lie and one doesn't?
Isn't that luck? maybe they should cut the rough as short as the pilings?

[Matthew Petersen]

On TV, it looks like they have the gallery allowed right up to the OB edge. That's going to introduce a lot of randomness, no? What if Tiger or some other popular player hits one over there on Sunday and it gets kicked back?

[Phil McDade]

On TV, it looks like they have the gallery allowed right up to the OB edge. That's going to introduce a lot of randomness, no? What if Tiger or some other popular player hits one over there on Sunday and it gets kicked back?

Happens all the time in golf -- crowds (patrons ) impact the bounce of the ball all the time.

[Matthew Petersen]

On TV, it looks like they have the gallery allowed right up to the OB edge. That's going to introduce a lot of randomness, no? What if Tiger or some other popular player hits one over there on Sunday and it gets kicked back?

Happens all the time in golf -- crowds (patrons ) impact the bounce of the ball all the time.

Rarely in a way that's as significant as in bounds vs. out of bounds, though.

[Greg Beaulieu]

I love what I am seeing of Merion so far. It is fabulous.

[Wade Whitehead]

What did Colsaerts get a free drop behind 18 today?  His approach ran through and under some trees; next thing I know, he's dropping in a white circle behind the green.

WW

[mike_beene]

More like a few inches from fairway to OB . A ball could easily hit an OB spectator and bounce back. Did Garcia make 8 today on 15? If so was it due to OB?Anybody know how many OB balls today?

[Andy Hughes]

More like a few inches from fairway to OB . A ball could easily hit an OB spectator and bounce back. Did Garcia make 8 today on 15? If so was it due to OB?Anybody know how many OB balls today?

Mike, spent a little time at 15 yesterday, and saw a ball hit the green fence that runs down the middle of the road and bounce back in bounds by maybe 6" (in the rough but between the fairway and the stump).
Another ball appeared to hit a spectator and also bounced back in by a matter of inches.

Manassero (I believe but could be mistaken) was not so fortunate as he flew into some bushes across the road in someone's front yard.

[John Ezekowitz]

I watched David Howell hit two OB on 15 with an iron from the grandstand on 14. This was immediately following his birdie from 18 inches in 14. His first drive couldn't have been OB by more than a foot; his second one was well out.

In the same group, Brian Stuard hit the pin from the middle of the fairway. His ball rebounded all the way from the back of the green about 15 yards down the fairway.

[Ken Moum]

I have what might be a dumb question about #15.

Whereinhell is the tee?  On Google Earth and flyovers, every other hole has a reasonably obvious teeing ground, but on 15 there seems to be none.

Is it on the strip of mowed grass that appears to be an extension of 16 fairway?

If so that's almost as weird as #5 at Nairn.